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Antinuclear group gets funding

A local anti-nuclear group, Safe and Green Energy Peterborough, will get $37,000 from a federal agency to review its study for the proposed Darlington nuclear plant expansion, the group announced yesterday.

"SAGE is extremely proud of this recognition and achievement, as it is a true community group that has been challenging the intent of the Ontario government to expand nuclear supply when the alternatives of renewable energy and conservation are safer, more community oriented and less costly," the group states in a release.

John Etches, with Safe and Green Energy, couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency participant funding program approved five applications worth a total of $155,927.

There were eight applications for a total of $314,242.

Individuals, Aboriginal groups and incorporated not-for- profit organizations that have a direct, local interest in the project, have community knowledge relevant to the environmental assessment or have expert information relevant to the environmental effects of the project were eligible for funding through the program.

Ontario Power Generation has launched a study on the proposal to build and operate as many as four new reactors, with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts, on its Darlington nuclear site near Oshawa.

Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission announced on Oct. 30 the establishment of a three-member joint review panel for the proposed project.

The panel will consider the environmental assessment and the licence application to prepare the site for the project, a release states.

The Atomic Energy of Canada Limited bid to build the nuclear reactors came in over budget, the province announced in June, putting the project in limbo.